Artistic Digitizer Worksheets

Have you been enjoying working with your software? We hope so! There is so much that you can learn while experimenting and playing with your designs.

Just a reminder that the free access to this software is only until this Saturday 31st October. The special pricing until 30th November was just announced. Please see your local Janome Canada dealer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have received permission to share these amazing worksheets that have been created by our partners over in the UK! They are full of so many great steps, to help you get your feet wet with our digitizing software.

A sample of what they look like

Have you had a chance to attend any of our classes this month with Artistic Digitizer? These worksheets are a printable handbook to have as reference while you are creating.

Don’t forget that we have a third session of our fall Artistic Digitizer classes happening soon, ask your local dealer for the sign up information!

Click below to download Worksheets 1-5.

Artistic Digitizer Worksheet 1Download

Artistic Digitizer Worksheet 2Download

Artistic Digitizer Worksheet 3Download

Artistic Digitizer Worksheet 4Download

Artistic Digitizer Worksheet 5Download

These downloads will open new windows in your browser, which you can then save to your computer or print them out.

Example of a shape placement, then Convert To Floral.

There are more worksheets that will be available in a later post. Happy digitizing!!

Until next time,

JanomeGirl

Cleaning Between the Lines

We all know that cleaning our sewing machines is important to keep our sewing machines running properly. Regular maintenance with a qualified dealer is essential. We need to clean our machines after each project. Sometimes in the middle of a project if the project produces a lot of lint or fluff.

When we clean our machines, we can easily forget the feed dogs. In this picture I purposely didn’t clean the lines of the feed dogs for a couple of projects to get some build up to show you.

To keep the performance of your machine it is important to clean all parts.

When I pulled out the fluff, it isn’t much as you can see, but it can affect the performance of your machine.

Another place we forget to clean is the bottom of the bobbin case. Again it isn’t much fluff, but it can make a difference.

Happy Sewing!

 

Announcing SPECIAL pricing on our Artistic Digitizer software

You may have been enjoying a wonderful opportunity to try out our Artistic Digitizer software since the beginning of October? Free access to the software will expire soon. If you are considering purchasing the software so that you can continue to have a whole lot more creative embroidery fun, we are pleased to announce that we have a limited time offer of special pricing…..available at participating Janome Canada dealers.

Please see your favourite Janome Canada dealer  –  This offer is only applicable until 30th November. 

A couple of things:

• If you own the software –  or purchase it during this special pricing offer –  you may not be aware that we have been offering online hands-on embroidery software classes through participating Janome Canada dealers this month. We are well into the first series of Artistic Digitizer classes but we will, for sure, offer these again in January. You can be assured that these classes, as well as bunch of other resources we already offer, will assist you to maximize  the potential and features of this incredible user friendly software. Please ask your Janome Canada Dealer if they will be hosting these classes in January. We already have dates and times set for 3 parts of 3 hours long = 9 hours of expert software teaching. Don’t miss out next time around!
• You may have had a wonderful time exploring the software and really would love to purchase Artistic Digitizer. Perhaps $899 CAD is not possible for you at this time? Please speak to your dealer about the Artistic Digitizer Junior package of software. The Junior version does not have special pricing, nor does it offer the full program of features you have been recently enjoying playing with: It offers auto digitizing with no manual digitizing features. However, it does give a lower price option for a program with less features. Please discuss this with your dealer.

Saturday Sewing: Quilt as You Go Holiday Table Runner

This table runner is a quick-make project and perfect gift for the holidays.  The best part is that it is quilted as you piece it and is finished once you sew in your last strip.  Use an orphan 8 ½” block for the centre or just make it plain.  The strips can vary in width and add a little interest to the project or use left over 2 ½” binding strips.  Add decorative stitches in the ditch to add a little bling. 

Material needed:

Backing: one piece of fabric preferably a busy print 20” x 45”.  For the purpose of this project the length is 45”.  You can however make it longer by adding more strips.

Batting: 20” x 45” A low loft works best for this project.

1 Centre square cut 8 ½” x 8 ½”.

1 strip 2 ½” x 45” of 5 coordinating colours.

3 strips 2 ½” x 45” for binding.

Supplies:

Rotary Cutter

Acrylic ruler

Sewing machine in working order

Frixion Marker

Instructions:

• From each coordinating strip of fabric, sub cut the strips into 2 x 2 ½” x 9” and 2 x 2 ½” x 11”

•  Place the backing fabric right side down on the work table horizontally.
• Lay the batting on top and smooth out with your hands.
• Using the Frixion Marker, mark the centre vertically and Horizontally, this line will disappear once your start ironing.

• Place the centre block right side up, lining up the corners with the marked lines in the centre of the table runner.
• Using the marker number each quadrant 1 – 4 starting bottom left corner.

• With the first strip of fabric and right sides together, line up the 8” strip so that the corners on the horizontal line match up.  Pin in place.  The strip will be a little longer than the centre square but that is ok.

• Using a ¼” seam allowance sew down the seam making sure to sew through all three layers the fabric, batting and backing.

• Flip the strip over and press.

• Place the 11” strip right sides together, matching again at the centre horizontal line.  Pin and sew.

• Place the second 8” strip on the other side again lining up with the centre horizontal line.  Sew through all layers, flip and press.

• Place the second 11” strip right sides together, matching again at the centre horizontal line.  Pin and sew.  Now you have completed around the centre block with one colour.  The Horizontal line should line up with the strips.  There will be overhang on the outside edges but that will be trimmed away later.

Place right sides together the second colour 8” strip in the first quadrant lining up the centre horizontal line.

• Continue with the remaining strips to the end repeating the previous steps.

• Once all strips are sewn, trim by lining up your ruler with the outside edge to get a nice clean cut and remove all the ends of the strips. 
• Trim the ends in a triangle shape.

• Using your decorative stitches already in your machine, stitch in the ditch using a decorative thread. I used Madeira Metallic silver thread. Remember to change your needle according to the thread you may use.

• Bind your runner using your favourite technique.

Introducing our brand NEW mini duck bill applique scissors

Do you struggle with cutting away fabric around an applique shape? If the applique is intricate with lots of curves and nooks & crannies, this can be problematic if you don’t have the correct scissors……….enter our NEW Janome MINI duck billed scissors. And the task just got a whole lot easier.

These mini duck bills are just 4 inches in length so think in terms of trying to snip embroidery threads with dressmakers shears?! When the applique trimming required is intricate and tiny, these smaller duck billed scissors will be very useful indeed.

• Off set handles for work in the hoop – so YAY! scissors to easily clip applique-in-the-hoop
• Half inch duck bill allows for close, precise applique work
• Razor sharp edges
• Superior rust and corrosion resistant
• High grade hardened steel

Excellent Christmas stocking stuffer!

These mini duck billed scissors have just arrived in our Janome Canada warehouse and your dealer may order for you.  Part # JA712MD. Pricing is available from your dealer – we do not sell these direct to consumers.   As with everything nowadays….. if you wait too long you may find it is gone so if you want these, we recommend you order them now while we still have stock.

 

Artistic Digitizer and Halloween

 

Applications for the free trial code have now closed but if you got your code, you still have access to use the software and play to your heart’s content until 31st October……don’t waste a minute of creative embroidery time!!

Did you know that the Janome Canada Education team are offering wonderful hands-on Artistic Digitizer classes through participating Janome Canada dealers at this time. It is a 3 part series of 2 hours per class = 6 hours and includes a set of notes for each part.  These are paid classes  (which must be booked through applicable dealers.) As we are into part 2 already, you may wish to play “catch up” or wait until the next time we offer these classes.  If you are interested in attending these excellent classes to further your Artistic Digitizer learning, please send a comment in the box below and we will send you information about where you may book to attend these classes. 

Today we have another creative possibility using Artistic Digitizer software. Halloween is just around the corner so here is a fun design to try with your trial offer of Artistic Digitizer.

It is possible to insert a clipart image and easily convert it into embroidery stitches. We offer this step by step:

New > Tools > Clip Art Library > Insert a clip art > Fruits09 > Insert > Slide/Drop. It is that easy; the pumpkin is automatically turned into embroidery stitches!!

Notice there are some spots in the green stitching (shown in the red circle)…….. we need to fix this to make the pumpkin image perfect.

Select Edit Nodes

Click on the red square nodal point – Stretch this point to join the base of the pumpkin.

It’s Simple!

Select the stalks and choose a colour in the colour option box.

Note: The order of the stitch out in the Sequence menu – Move the sequence of the brown stalk to last: Select sequence 6 > Right click the section > Order.

The usual color of the pumpkin is, of course, bright orange, but there are also yellows, reds, whites, and even blue, green and grey! Here I chose the thread color Janome 273 (Honey Dew)

Select the 1-2-3-4-5 sequences in the Sequence menu > Click on the #273-colored pencil; A real pumpkin!

This little exercise shows the simplicity of the software, but… there are so many other techniques that we will never run out of projects to create!!!

Originally published by Celine Ross on Vie Janome, translated by Anne Stitcher and edited by Liz Thompson.

Janome HQ’s Instagram LIVE TODAY, WEDNESDAY 1pm EST

Join us LIVE at 1pm EST @janomehq Instagram page every Wednesday for Janome HQ’s NEW series “Janome’s Magical Machine Mystery Tour” as we highlight a different machine in the Janome line. From entry level to Top of the Line; embroidery machines; longarm quilting machines; sergers and MORE!

What machine and Janome goodies will we talk about this week? It’s a MYSTERY so you must tune in each week for the big reveal! Don’t worry if you can’t make the LIVE presentation, though. They’ll be stored in the IGTV icon on the Janome HQ Instagram Page and later posted as videos on the Janome HQ You Tube channel.

Follow us on the Janome HQ Facebook page and write me at Classes@Janome-Canada.com (copy and paste in a new browser) for more information about upcoming on-line classes and (eventually) on site classes at The Janome Sewing and Learning Centre in Oakville, ON; Janome Canada’s Head Quarters.

Happy Sewing and #sharethejanomelove!

Look what you can do with Artistic Digitizer: using Nodes

So I have a question for you: Why was the Artistic Digitizer user sad? Because they didn’t node how to use the nodes!! Lol. Ok, that was really cheesy haha. Sorry.

Today’s snippet is all about Nodes. What are those? A node is a point at which lines or pathways intersect or branch; a central or connecting point.

The nodes create the outside shape of the object or create the outline.  To see the nodes of an object, select your object then select Edit Nodes.  Blue, red and green nodes will appear. They can be moved  by L-click and dragging or selected and deleted. Multiple nodes can be deleted all at one time by L-click and dragging a box around the ones that need to be deleted.

The blue nodes are auto smooth nodes and are created automatically by the software, the green nodes are smooth nodes (curves) and the red squares are cusp nodes (straight lines/sharp corners). Both the red and green have control handles that allow you to stretch and shape the line.  When adding nodes using the digitize tools a L-click will add the auto smooth and smooth nodes.  To create lines and corners use the shift and L- click. When making a sharp corner a cusp node will create a better look to the stitches  – almost like a mitered corner to a satin stitch line.

To add nodes or change the type of node R-click on the created line or node and an info window will appear with your choices. (see the above graphic)

Editing nodes opens a whole area to creating better embroideries, or fine tuning one you already have.

Anne Hein from Janome America created this content, thank you so much Anne!

Until next time,

JanomeGirl

 

Virtual Tour of Janome Horizon Memory Craft 8200 QCP

Welcome to a tour of the Janome Horizon Memory Craft 8200 QCP machine! There are far too many features for me to go over them all in one post but I’m going to share with you with my top reasons why I love the Horizon 8200 QCP. The Horizon 8200 QCP is very similar to the Horizon 8900 QCP. So if you have an 8900 QCP this post is for you too! Make sure to check out the video tour at the end of this post!

First Looks

First up, I’m not going to lie, the Horizon 8200 QCP caught my eye because of the beautiful blue accents. If I’m going to spend countless hours sewing on a machine, I want it to look pretty. And the Horizon 8200 QCP is very pretty! Besides pretty, this machine is a substantial size! The pictures definitely don’t convey just how big it is. The foot print is approx 48cm x 23cm (19”x9”) and 28cm (11”) tall! You know just by looking at it that it is sturdy enough to handle so many projects! Plus there is a huge extension table available as an optional accessory for this machine. 

Features

This machine is 9mm machine with 170 stitches including an alphabet and 10 one step button holes! You will not run out of stitches! There is 11” of space to the right of the needle, tons of accessory storage for the large amount of standard accessories that come with the machine including a knee lifter.  If you have never used a knee lifter, you are in for a treat. I found it life changing. Plus did I mention that there is an optional extension table? 

When you first look at it you may wonder where all these fancy stitches are. There is a keypad where you can enter what stitch you want. Do you have to memorize all the stitches? Of course not. When you flip up the top panel of the machine a whole new world appears! Isn’t that amazing? The stitches are divided up into 6 modes. When selecting the stitch that you want, simply press the ‘mode’ button on the panel until the mode number on the left of the screen is displayed.

Keypad

Since we are talking about the keypad and display, lets take a closer look. I will admit I was at first a bit overwhelmed. Your machine manual will be your best friend while you work out what each button does but it’s pretty intuitive once you start using it. I LOVE that there are short cuts for the most used stitches across the bottom. The other key I want to bring to your attention is the one with a key on it. This is the lock function key and you will want to get into a habit of using this key. Whenever you change a needle, thread your needle or are adding any accessories,  lock your machine to avoid any mishaps. I’ve had a few close calls over the years and it’s not worth it. Pressing this button takes a fraction of a second and it helps save you and your machine from running into any issues.

Accessories

So we have looked at the machine and at couple of the features but you have to see all the accessories that come with the Horizon 8200QCP. It is amazing! There are 15 feet included!!! From bag making to creating your own clothes, sewing around your home to making a quilt from start to finish, you have everything you need!  All included with your machine. Between the two tiered storage tray with an additional compartment at the back of your machine plus the additional storage on the top of the machine, your favourite accessories will always be close at hand.

Storage in Top of Horizon 8200 QCP

Removable Accessory tray. Two tiered on the front and single on the back

Quilters

Quilters – you will be happy to know that not only does the Horizon 8200 QCP come with a straight stitch plate for ultimate accuracy in piecing (which may I add, can be changed without having to fiddle with screws!) but this machine comes with the AcuFeed system for quilting  – Janome’s fabulous walking foot system – and everything you need for free motion quilting!

A generous throw doubled up fits through the throat space!

If you are concerned at all with visibility when sewing this machine has you covered. The large throat space and generous amount of light make everything easy to see. 

This machine is sure to take your sewing to the next level! If it is speaking to you, reach out to your local Janome Canada  dealer and ask for more details on how you can get this machine into your studio today!

***Video coming****

 

 

Saturday sewing: Part 2 of our Digitized In-the-Hoop Eye/Sleep Mask

PUT YOUR ARTISTIC DIGITIZER FREE TRIAL TO GOOD USE!!

Welcome back! On 3rd October, we posted how to digitize an “in the hoop” project using Artistic Digitizer software. Today we are going to stitch out our digitized creation, and see what needs to be tweaked or edited.

First you want to send your design to your machine. You can do that three ways: direct connection, USB or wifi. For more details on that click here.

Once your design is there, open it up and hoop your stabilizer. Next, stitch out your placement stitch.

 

Now that you know where your fabric is supposed to go, you can lay it down and stitch the tack down stitch. You may want to stiffen your fabric slightly if using a satin or something else slippery. You can use a spray like Terial magic, Best press or you could press a lightweight iron-on interfacing onto the back of the fabric. Also, you can spray the back of your fabric with Artistic Temporary Adhesive Spray to help adhere it to the stabilizer. After you have tacked down your fabric, stitch the eyelids of your eyes.

Then add eyelashes! You can change your thread colour here if you like.

Now it’s time for the lettering. I switched my threads from a Madeira PolyNeon to a Madeira Metallic, it’s such a lovely thread to work with. And it didn’t break once!! I did however reduce the stitching speed of the machine while using the metallic thread. Look how pretty it turned out!

Once I finished the lettering, I realized that I didn’t duplicate my placement stitch for the elastic, or change the thread colors for the stitching to attach the backing. So once the first set of placement stitches were done, I quickly stopped the machine and went back to the beginning of that segment to do the tack down stitches.

After the elastic was stitched in place, I pinned it with a straight pin so that it didn’t get caught in the backing fabric stitching. Then I placed some lovely double plush fabric on top of everything and stitched, making sure that an opening was left for turning.

Now all that’s left is to remove the project from the hoop, trim according to your initial placement line, turn and topstitch!

I even was able to catch a few modeled pictures for you 🙂 Click here to watch the stitch-out in action on the video.

This is Fiona, my 10 year old Grey Tabby. She sleeps in my sewing room all day long.

This is Snickers, our 1-year old Lab mix. She was very awake during this photo shoot, she kept trying to eat the sleep mask lol!

Thanks for creating and sewing along with me this week, I hope you had fun learning something new.

Until next time,

JanomeGirl